Pune: The reliance of city residents on water tankers has escalated alarmingly in recent years, with blame squarely placed on the poor water supply infrastructure of civic authorities. Reports of absent, insufficient, or even contaminated water supply have become routine. Citizens also point to unchecked concretisation and rampant loss of green cover as major factors impacting the water grid. Civic officials repeatedly highlight that expanding boundaries and a rapidly increasing population have caused water supply to fall short, with repeated demands to the irrigation department for enhancement remaining unfulfilled.
Rainwater Harvesting as a Solution
Experts say that investing in rainwater harvesting (RWH) systems is a viable path to better water security. Early movers have reaped years of benefits and saved crores on water tankers. One of the first societies to install an RWH system in 2003 was Lunkad Greenland-2 in Vimannagar. Resident Colonel Shashikant Dalvi (retired) noticed during his army service in Rajasthan that houses there always had water despite the arid region. He learned that locals practiced rainwater harvesting for generations. Dalvi said, "Twenty-three years ago, my society needed at least three tankers daily, spending Rs25,000 per month. I read up on RWH and convinced the society to install it. We spent Rs48,000 and got the system installed that year. In two months, we started saving on tankers and replenished the groundwater table. The water level was initially 225 feet in 2003; now it is at barely 10 feet." Today, the society adds approximately 9 lakh litres of water per year to the groundwater table.
Another Early Adopter
Gulmohar Queenstown co-operative housing society in Kharadi installed an RWH system in 2012 and has saved at least Rs50,000 per month since then. Society chairman Deepak Patil said, "We experienced drastic improvement in our groundwater table. We still need tankers due to shoddy civic supply, but the RWH system reduced our daily need by two tankers. It cost about Rs50,000 for one wing and Rs1.5 lakh for three wings. Within four to six months, it paid off by recharging the borewell." Patil, also chairperson of the Kharadi Housing Societies Welfare Association, encourages other societies to install the system. He added, "The civic body offers a 5% rebate to societies that install RWH systems. Everyone should reap the benefits."
Faulty Civic Infrastructure Forces Action
Colonel Dalvi cited multiple reasons for the city's dire water situation: "About 40% transportation losses due to old leaking pipes, population rise from 5 lakh in 1950 to 72 lakh in 2023, and unequal water supply forcing dependence on groundwater." His company helps societies install RWH systems and has also assisted over six lakh villagers in Maharashtra through CSR funds. Nyati Chesterfield in Undri is another example. Resident Sunil Aiyer explained, "All water going into stormwater drains was wasted. Twelve years ago, we installed an RWH system to redirect water to recharge a borewell at 425 feet depth. Some flow went to a reservoir holding five tankers' worth of water. Since then, we save water that could fill 200 tankers every year." The society also created a trench to allow water to flow into the ground, maximizing rainwater capture.
Unchecked Construction Worsens Crisis
Low rainfall has emerged as a major driver of the groundwater crisis, aggravated by non-technical execution of recharge schemes. Upendra Dhonde, scientist D at the Central Groundwater Board (CGWB), Pune, said, "Pune has become increasingly dependent on groundwater, especially in peri-urban areas without reliable surface water distribution. As groundwater levels decline, large housing societies rely heavily on private water tankers, spending lakhs monthly. With a challenging rainy season ahead in an El Niño year, concerns over water availability are intensifying. Unless scientific groundwater management and stricter regulation are implemented, the coming months will be a severe test."
Abhijeet Shrotre, a resident of Bella Vista in Bavdhan, said, "We are determined to install the RWH system before summer ends. We currently rely on a borewell, but water supply reduces by 15-20% each year. PMC's supply is also dwindling. Growing constructions will make this worse. We spend Rs10,000-15,000 on tankers monthly and want to avoid this cost."
Residents Speak
Abhijit Parkhi, an IT professional and resident of Kunal Icon society in Pimple Saudagar, said, "We installed the RWH system in two phases: first eight to nine years ago and second six years ago. Water availability has improved. We leave water into the ground as we have no separate storage. It replenishes groundwater and likely helps neighboring societies. PCMC's supply has also improved slightly."
Retired Colonel Dilip Ranade from Nyati Estate in Undri said, "We installed the RWH system in 2011-12 to reduce dependence on tankers for our 16 buildings and 401 flats. We changed the water distribution system and dug borewells. Two borewells gave 24x7 water. The RWH system allowed us to avoid tankers and helped neighboring societies by raising overall groundwater levels."
Expert Says: Isolated Measures May Not Deliver Sustainable Results
Upendra Dhonde warned, "Although RWH initiatives have been implemented, isolated measures without scientific planning, proper maintenance, and regulation of groundwater extraction may not deliver sustainable results. In many cases, recharge efforts cannot compensate for excessive withdrawal in rapidly urbanizing zones. The coming months will highlight the urgent need for scientific water management, efficient urban planning, and long-term groundwater conservation."
